Compcams flat tappet hydraulic failure rate is unacceptable. They know there is a problem and their answer is to keep their fingers crossed and hope for the best. I really like the Compcams grinds but I would not use anything from Comp again. When a cam fails, this requires a complete teardown. Will Comp stand behind the product. Hit and miss. If they know the XE series has high fail rates, why woudn't they nitride all cams in this series. It's simple, it's about customer service and doing the right thing, not excuses. How many out there are using Comp xe series cams? Did your cam fail?

No mines is brand new stuffed in the short block now, but I do not want to have to deal with it later, so I'm just looking at swapping out the cam with a good set of lifter now.

The 268 has to be a good grind cam, because people are still buying them.

Your logic is flawed. People still eat red meat and fat, knowing full-well that it will clog their arteries and may cause heart disease. Just because people buy these fosdick grinds does not mean that they are any good.

I will definitely read the article and decide on a new cam and lifter. Before I bought the cam I made a thread on what will be the best cam for my build and this was what was recommended. Now since I have found out how poor these cams lobe wear is, now it's not a good cam. I will read some more on this matter and if anyone has anymore input feel free to post back. Thanks

I am looking at the isky mega cams now. Which cam would be good with my 355 10 to 1 cr with a stock stall converter. The mega 268 doesn't have as much lift as the xe268h. This is a street only car that needs to have a good lope at idle like the xe268h

I have no problem machining the guide bosses for more lift if I have to. I was originally looking at the comp xe262 so maybe the isky 264 would work for me. I'm not sure what grind cam I have in my 350 now until I pull it out of the car but the sound is good enough for me with the custom exhaust I have. I'm calling isky in the morning and ask out the 264 and 268 grinds.

I had a cam fail in my Pontiac 400 it was a xe275h. I,ve been a mechanic all my life, this is the first cam that failed. I went to a roller, hope for the best. Comp gave me credit for the old one but I had to pull the motor and rebuild it. Pain in the rear! Oh and $ .

Does any of this stuff apply to the FORD 302 HIGH energy cam (not extreme energy)? I am looking at a comp cams 31-255-5 computer controlled cam, which on the camquest dyno software puts me at 330 ft lb, which is more than a stock 351 (which is what I am going for).

However I am scared to death about changing the cam. I cant afford to rebuild the engine if I wipe a lobe out....

Well I dont think the desktop dyno can be too terribly far off. Its only 50ft lb over what my engine is rated at stock. The engine IS stock but will be getting headers and exhaust and a K&N filter. Who knows what else. Also I might have to advance the cam a little to push the torque curve down - I am planning on doing some towing with this truck. About 6,000 worth.

Still yet, even if i only gain 30 ft lb, that puts me equal to a chevy 350 of the same year. 350s tow OK.

Big thing tho is still the fear of wiping out a cam. I know the engines are a good bit different between the SBC and SBF.

I called Isky this morning and they recommended the 264 Mega. This camed will give me more low end torque with a noticeble lope at idle but nothing to extreme. He said he have heard from people that the 264 Mega out perfomed some xe268h. The Mega 268 would fit my combo as well if I was planning on changing the stock gears and converter. I'm glad I brought this issue up now and not later causing me to tear the motor down for a flat cam. I know it is still up to me to break in the cam right and use the right oil additives.

This is the cam I have in my pickup right now with a 355, th350 and 3.73 posi 12 bolt, summit hyper flat tops, steel shim head gasket and fresh 993 heads with small valves, Holley streetmaster intake with a divider installed and a 600 Holley it runs very well it actually surprised me and my buddies, I'm fixing to install vortec heads this spring after I clean them up and cut the guides down for positive seals, I run the cheap lifters all the time from competition products, or summit using diesel oil and Zddp and never had a problem. I have a comp 4x4 extreme in my 454 and it hasn't went flat broke it in with the outer springs only. I think cam failures are mostly installed wrong and the people don't want to admit they don't know what there doing.

This is the cam I have in my pickup right now with a 355, th350 and 3.73 posi 12 bolt, summit hyper flat tops, steel shim head gasket and fresh 993 heads with small valves, Holley streetmaster intake with a divider installed and a 600 Holley it runs very well it actually surprised me and my buddies, I'm fixing to install vortec heads this spring after I clean them up and cut the guides down for positive seals, I run the cheap lifters all the time from competition products, or summit using diesel oil and Zddp and never had a problem. I have a comp 4x4 extreme in my 454 and it hasn't went flat broke it in with the outer springs only. I think cam failures are mostly installed wrong and the people don't want to admit they don't know what there doing.

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